Apple Pie and Angst
by Shymagical
Summary: Tendou follows Kagami one night wanting something from him.
1. Chapter 1

Kagami scrubbed at a stubborn food splatter on one of the tables. There hadn't been many patrons today but the few that had shown up had been extra messy! And Kagami was all alone today, too. Hiyori had asked for the day off because she needed to get her pet bird to the vet for its annual visit. Yumi-san said she could manage; it was usually the slow day of the week for the restaurant. So, the day had pretty much gone as usual. Even the eventual visit of a certain someone around lunchtime.

"Yo." Kagami nodded in greeting at Tendou, showing him to his usual seat. When he came back from the kitchen with the customary glass of water, Kagami noticed that Tendou had a paper sack with him. Setting down the water down on the tabletop, Kagami cocked his head to the side, curious.

"Ah? What's in the bag, Tendou?" Tendou moved the glass onto the napkin fussily. Kagami ignored him. (Even though it looked like he'd also rearranged the table setting)

Tendou opened the bag and Kagami could tell without looking that it was apples. Really fresh ones. What a delicious scent! His eyes almost fluttered closed, enjoying it a lot.

"An acquaintance of my grandmother gave these to me. There are too many for me and Jyuka alone."

By then, Yumi-san had come out of the kitchen to visit her favorite customer.

"Hello Tendou-san! I'm sorry, but Hiyori-chan isn't here today!"

"…Oh? Is everything all right?" Kagami wondered if anyone else would have noticed how tense Tendou had gotten, if they didn't know the man like he did. Yumi was quick to assure him, regardless.

"Everything is fine! She had some errands to do at her house."

"I see." Tendou shifted slightly. Which, translated Kagami mentally, meant 'Oh, thank goodness'. And the guy said Kagami worried too much. Walking back to the kitchen, he set about finishing washing the dishes.

"OH! You've got some apples from Kento Farms?! They have some of the best orchards in Japan!" Kagami peered over the counter to see Yumi san looking at the apples appreciatively.

"Please, take as many as you like." Tendou offered her the bag, blinking in surprise when she clapped her hands in delight.

"I have an idea! Kagami!" Kagami flinched, dropping a mug into the soapy water and splashing the front of his shirt.

"Ah! It's cold! What is it, Yumi-san??" Kagami wiped at his clothes with a towel.

"Why don't you make 'it'?"

Oh, that. Well…it's true he had the most confidence in cooking that but…Tendou…Walking up to the table a bit apprehensively, avoiding Tendou's curious gaze, he tried to dissuade her request.

"I don't know, Yumi-san…I mean if the apples are 'the best' you or Hiyori probably…"

"Nonsense! I insist! How many do you need?" She was holding up one of the apples for him.

Kagami took it without thinking. It was a beautiful thing. Golden and crisp looking. Probably picked today, too. Turning it around in his hand, he admired the little brown spots. The slight imperfections just meant that the farm hadn't resorted to pesticides or other chemicals. That was a bit of a rarity these days.

Feeling it was a bit futile arguing with her now; Kagami nodded and took a few of the apples, still managing to avoid looking at Tendou.

He had to admit, this was probably the best thing he could cook. It didn't even look half bad, with its cut out crust and bubbling filling. Unable to resist holding it up to take deep whiff, he sighed happily. It was probably never as good as _she_ used to make, but he was pretty sure he'd gotten close. It had always been a favorite of Ryou's, anyway.

"That looks delicious, Kagami!"

He almost dropped it, having been a bit absorbed in his thoughts that he hadn't noticed her walking up behind him. Cradling the tray carefully, he set it down on the counter. Yumi opened one of the drawers to take a knife out. Slicing carefully, she placed a piece on a plate.

"Your apple pie is the best" she claimed, "I'm sure even Tendou-san would agree!" She started to walk out.

"Ah! W-wait…" He hadn't thought she'd offer some to him!

"What is it?" She was frowning at him in concern at the kitchen door. Sheepish at her concerned look, he tried to relay his feelings to her.

"I mean…well…Tendou's got some…discriminating tastes. My pie is pretty simple..."

It's not that he felt the pie was anything but good…but Tendou was very critical of cooking and this recipe was…very close to his heart.

"I'm not as good a cook as you and Hiyori…he'll probably really dislike it…"

But she was already walking out the door. Not up to feeling making a big show of stopping her, he peeked over the counter as she plopped the plate in front of Tendou with a flourish. His expression was one of amusement and curiosity.

Nervous, but feeling silly about hiding, Kagami stepped out of the kitchen. Wiping down already clean tables, he glanced over as Tendou scooped up a bite-sized bit into his mouth. Momentarily forgetting that he was "cleaning" Kagami paused, still stooped over a table, watching for Tendou's reaction.

He certainly was taking his time chewing that small bite, Kagami thought.

Tendou's eyes widened. Kagami tensed.

Picking up his napkin, Tendou wiped his mouth. Then, without another word or look, left.

"Tendou-san?? Is something wrong?" Yumi followed him out the door.

"Haaaa, it's like I thought!" Kagami sagged into a nearby chair, pouting. He _knew_ it!

"I wonder what's wrong? He looked kind of pale…maybe he…actually dislikes apple pie??" Yumi had picked up the forlorn plate and walked up beside him. Kagami stared at the abandoned slice of pie for a moment before grabbing it and the fork.

"Kagami??"

"I don't care, but I'm not letting it go to waste!" Kagami gobbled it down.

It was…as delicious as he remembered.

He already felt better about Tendou's snubbing. Yumi watched him a bit nervously. He finished it and grinned up at her. She returned the smile, seeming a bit relieved that Kagami wasn't taking it too badly.


	2. Chapter 2

Kagami walked his motorcycle up the street. His neighborhood's "no loud noises" policy didn't let him ride all the way up to his apartment. It was a nice night for walking though. Especially since he was carrying a treasure! After she'd taken a couple pieces for herself and Hiyori, Yumi-san had been kind enough to pack the leftover pie in one of the restaurant's to-go boxes.

He felt a bit keyed up since that afternoon. There hadn't been many patrons after Tendou so Kagami got to leave earlier than usual. Maybe he'd be able to catch that new toku show he'd been hearing about. It had something with trains and monsters in it; that sounded kind of cool. He heard the main character was kind of a wimp though, but Kagami had always been a big fan of underdog heroes.

It certainly was getting dark earlier these days. Well, it was fall, after all. Perfect weather for apple pie dessert! He had some good milk tea to go with it too. Who cared about picky, sarcastic, stubborn, perfect-at-everything, good-looking…

He stopped, mentally berating himself. He shouldn't even bother thinking about the incident at Bistro le Salle. But…the insulting way the man had left…it was like he couldn't get as far away from the dessert as possible! Really, he shouldn't be so upset about it at all; he got teased and berated by Tendou all the time. But…but…the recipe to the pie was…

…One of the few things he had left to remember his mother by.

She had died…not too long after Ryou had started middle school. Kagami had dropped out of high school to take care of things; his father being too busy with work in the city to do more than handle funeral arrangements. It had been up to him and his brother to do the rest. Even then…Kagami couldn't hate him…not when his mother had been…so understanding, so forgiving of his father during those last days at the hospital…At least the _whole_ family had been there to say their good-byes. He still remembered holding Ryou's hand…pretending not to notice how hard his little brother was trying not to cry.

And then…they had moved to Tokyo; Kagami re-enrolling in highschool. So they could be closer to father's work. Kagami had fought it…saying that he could watch over them just fine in the house their mother had lived in since before Kagami had been born. But Riku Kagami had won the argument by reminding his son that a good education had been one of the dearest wishes his mother had for her children.

But, even though they were physically closer to their father…they had become even more distant to each other. With mother gone…it had seemed to strain the bond they had.

At least until...Kagami had started getting into baseball. He'd even been on the team in highschool. For a while it seemed as if things were getting better. Father had attempted to reach out then. He had even arranged to go to a few of Kagami's games. Ryou had really loved the game as well; he could remember many nights of playing catch at the park until it was too dark to see. Father had even joined them sometimes. It had seemed the rift was slowly healing between them.

Then…Ryou had tried out for the team when he was graduated to highschool…and failed. Kagami gritted his teeth at the thought. Being a pitcher had been his little brother's dream. He had practiced so hard! Luckily Kagami had found him right after; he'd been in his favorite spot by the river. Burning the gear Kagami had excitedly bought him with the money he'd gotten from his part time job. Though, it hadn't been money on his mind when he'd tossed his jacket at the fire, smothering the flame. He had reacted like it had been Ryou's hopes burning up; in a way it had. It wasn't right to give up when you failed one time. Their parents hadn't raised them to be like that. You couldn't give up until you smashed yourself against every wall. He couldn't let his brother give up something so dear to him. Not when he had a big brother to help him through. So they had made a promise that day. Ryou wouldn't give up as long Kagami still believed in him. He swore he'd practice every day with him, even if he had less free time between college and his part time job. It was what big brothers were for, after all. And even if Ryou couldn't make Pitcher, there were plenty of other positions. They had even arranged to meet in the park the very next day to start a whole training regimen.

And then…Kagami had the worst day of his life.

He stopped. Gripping the handlebars tightly for a moment, head bowed down, he berated himself for letting his train of thought travel to such a dark place. And he'd been in relatively good mood too. Well, despite that one thing marring the afternoon…

Shaking his head and grumbling to himself for letting Tendou get to him so much, Kagami continued his pace to his apartment.

When he suddenly heard a slight scuffle behind him; Kagami turned around quickly. There wasn't anything there. Turning to face forward slowly, still looking for any sign of movement, Kagami frowned. He'd let himself be distracted. Worm attacks usually occurred when the victim was out walking alone; and what was more vulnerable a time than in the isolation the night provided? At any rate, it was best to hurry back to the apartment. Hyper aware of even the slightest noise behind him, Kagami sped his pace up, trying to show any sort of clue of awareness that he thought someone was following him. He could have sworn the noises were getting closer to him, but he wasn't sure if it was one of the notorious neighborhood cats or something less (or more, considering which cat you ran into) dangerous. Mr. Boots had a particularly heinous record of pretending to be a sweet cat before leaping onto you in a hellish scratchy fury. Thank goodness Mr. Nishikawa had finally gotten the little guy declawed (due to a block-wide petition). Kagami thought he had a few scars on his back from last time.

Ah, was that another noise? It didn't sound like a footprint…Kagami turned his head slyly to the right…concentrating. Was he going to be attacked?!

"Yo."

"UWAAAAH!"


	3. Chapter 3

"I wish you wouldn't _do_ that. My bike almost fell over!"

Tendou gave him the usual "we are not impressed" look. Kagami wondered what he was doing here so late at night. It didn't look like it was an emergency, not that it was the other man's style to come looking for him for help. It didn't look like Tendou was going to immediately offer up an explanation for his being here either, simply standing in front of him expectantly. Not that it was unusual for him to not explain himself but…usually Tendou would at least tell him what he wanted up front. It just seemed as if the man was waiting for something.

Then Kagami noticed had a paper bag in his hand…which reminded Kagami instantly of that afternoon.

Pursing his lips, Kagami walked around Tendou; choosing to ignore him rather than acknowledge that he felt anything other than annoyance at the man's earlier dismissal. He told himself didn't even care to think about why Tendou was walking around in other people's neighborhood. Without permission. Not that he needed permission but…it'd be nice to get a call before almost having a heart attack when a person decided to…to _materialize _out of the shadows in front of you.

He thought he heard a small breath behind him, maybe in surprise. Or maybe he was laughing at him. Jerk. A few seconds later, he hear the grit of boots on the pavement as Tendou began walking alongside him. He even had the audacity not to just follow behind him! Kagami stared resolutely forward; he wasn't going to give him a chance to criticize him, not in that area. If it had been anything else, he'd have let it go, like the rest of Tendou's antics. But…he was just naturally protective of anything related to his family. It was probably silly to be so touchy about it but…

Kagami glanced over.

Tendou was still strolling next to him. But his expression! If anyone saw them, they'd probably think they were friends or something with how casually Tendou was acting. He wasn't even acting like he knew Kagami was ignoring him! How _cheeky_!

He was so…annoyed! And where did he think he was going?! Kagami had made several turns, if Tendou had been headed elsewhere he'd have left by now, right? Was he following him? It certainly seemed like it.

But, asking Tendou this would mean _talking_ to him…and Kagami didn't want to be the one to break the silence. Not while Tendou still had the air of a patient parent humoring a sulking child.

And then they started approaching his small apartment. Kagami had just about lost patience and was going to demand just where Tendou was heading when he heard the man's voice from behind.

"Ooh, so this is where you live."

Kagami stopped and looked over his shoulder at him, almost started that he'd actually talked after remaining quiet for so long. They were standing at the gate that enclosed this group of apartments taking in the full view of where Kagami lived. Wondering what was so fascinating, Kagami followed Tendou's gaze.

It wasn't the most glamorous apartments. But this was a good neighborhood and the streets were clean. Lots of families with kids lived here because a school was a few miles away. Kagami lived in a two bedroom on the ground floor. Personally, he thought he'd gotten a good deal because it also came with a small kitchen area and a private shower. He had to use the public baths in the winter sometimes when the pipes froze though. And he had to open all the windows during the summer since the air conditioner tended to have trouble with the hotter days. Even the exterior look unimpressive enough; the only decoration differing from the other apartments being the sparse planters of nameless "foliage" Kagami had set outside to give it a bit of character. He wondered briefly when he had last watered them. Still, not seeing anything special, Kagami looked back at the source of his frustration.

"…Why the surprise? You've been here before." Though, now that he thought about it, just how _did_ Tendou know where he lived?? It just seemed a little weird to picture Tendou just casually looking him up in the phonebook. Well, it probably hadn't been too hard, since they'd been only a block away from his home the day they met for the very first time. Either that or the man had been following him since he left the restaurant. Without saying anything. This implied various things Kagami wasn't really in the mood to entertain right now.

Tendou continued looking for another moment before looking at him. Kagami tensed, upset that he'd met the man's gaze; it felt like he'd fallen into a trap. Tendou's lips quirked slightly, his lips forming a smile that was almost a smirk.

"Hmm…finally. Being quiet for so long isn't like you."


	4. Chapter 4

~*~

Kagami was beyond ticked off now. He was silent as he parked and locked his motorcycle next to building. He was calmer by the time he yanked his gloves off and looked over at Tendou, who was still standing by the gate. The smile had faded from his face, for some reason.

Kagami's shoulders sagged. He was really futile being angry at a guy like Tendou. He sighed loudly. Tendou tilted his head to the side.

"Just….what do you want, Tendou…?" He really wasn't in the mood yet.

Tendou regarded him for a moment before lifting the paper bag up.

"I want you to make it again"

At first, Kagami blinked at him, confused. What…? Then he spotted several round shapes in the bag. Oh, so he'd come all this way…to get Kagami to make the pie again? He probably wanted to instruct him on the proper way to make it! That…that _jerk_!

Once again riled by the thought, Kagami scowled and told him to get lost. Tendou blinked and looked taken aback. Seriously ticked off, Kagami almost slammed his helmet onto this bike, grabbed the leftover box roughly and stormed over to the apartment door.

He had just rammed the key in the door and started to push in when he felt a strong grip on his wrist, holding him back.

"What's wrong with you?"

Kagami looked at him incredulously. Just where did he get off…he tried to shake the hand off his wrist but it only tightened.

"Has something happened?"

Giving up on twisting his arm out of Tendou's grasp Kagami looked at him, not holding back the hurt and angry feelings he had been attempting to hide. Tendou's eyes widened and his grip loosened but he still wouldn't release him.

"I'm….I'm just not in the mood for your criticism, Tendou" Kagami said tiredly.

Tendou looked confused.

"What are you talking about?"

"I am not interested in 'improving' my baking skills." Kagami weakly yanked on his wrist, embarrassed at how upset he was, eyes focused on his wrist.

Tendou was silent for a moment…then made a soft "oh".

"I may not be a super pro like you but-" Kagami's voice rose in irritation.

"It was incredibly delicious"

"…Wha?" Kagami looked up him, stunned. The hand on his wrist had softened; thumb pressing idly, almost apologetically against his skin.

"You walked out so quickly…"

"I…tend to get…bit focused when I encounter things like this…" Now Tendou was looking away from Kagami. This time, when Kagami pulled his arm away, he met with no resistance.

"There were a few ingredients I had to collect and the stores were closing…I had to rush to get them"

"O-oh…I see." Well, this was a bit awkward. Nothing like finding out a bad mood came from a misunderstanding.

Tendou rummaged in the bag and pulled out one of the golden apples, offering it to Kagami.

"Please teach me this."

Kagami paused for a moment, considering, before slowing reaching out and taking the apple in his hand.

"…Okay."


	5. Chapter 5

And thus Kagami found himself in his own kitchen teaching Tendou Souji, the self proclaimed Man Who Walked Heaven's Path, how to prepare apple pie the way Mom used to make.

To say the least, he'd been quite nervous. He'd even turned the radio by the window on to alleviate some of the somewhat tense atmosphere. He hadn't known Tendou for that long and to be honest; ever since Yaguruma-san had gotten back he'd attempted to break ties with the man. For his own sake, of course. Tendou was what ZECT considered a loose canon and, like Yaguruma-san said, if everyone wasn't working together then "Perfect Harmony" couldn't be achieved. After spending so much time feeling unhelpful whenever Kabuto was on the scene it had been…pretty refreshing to have been told that his cooperation was important to _someone._

Though, even as he started to follow Yaguruma as his subordinate, he hadn't found what he had been looking for. And it was becoming more and more apparent that Yaguruma was very serious about maintaining the perfect harmony of his group; even if that meant…doing away with individuals who weren't team players. He seemed very different from the Yaguruma Sou he'd been acquainted with when he'd first joined ZECT. But then, he hadn't really known the man, personally.

Kagami had been surprised that Yaguruma had even recalled him; he'd just been one in a possible hundred of candidates to work at ZECT and he hadn't even had what it took to be a soldier; which was the group Yaguruma would have more likely to have gotten friendly with. But then, it was just like his personality to cherish every member he met at least to know their names. Or maybe Kagami had stood out?

He snorted as he scrubbed at a dusty patch on one of the apples. The only way he'd stood out during recruitment was that, after Kagami had found out he was in the wrong paperwork line and ran at a panicked pace to the right on across the building, he'd bumped into a senior officer whose inevitable fall had led to several fellow rookies, a passing food cart, two secretaries and a nice young couple who hadn't even been _in_ the building at the time, to topple over in a semi-horrific domino effect. He shook his head ruefully. That…had been an awkward way to introduce himself to Tadokoro-san.

Actually, that had been the first time he'd met Yaguruma Sou, as well. He'd had helped several people up and, instead of chastising Kagami heavily, had warmly patted his back and said that even when accidents happened, everything could be recovered quickly if everyone worked together. Kagami had carried this thought throughout the rest of his training as a member of ZECT. So, of course Kagami had recognized Yaguruma as soon as Zebee's helmet came off.

Yaguruma had always been the role model all the recruiters had paraded as an example of the perfect ZECT soldier: Intelligent, skilled, compassionate but strong-willed; a natural born leader.

Come to think of it, the man drying apples carefully next to him would probably be more than welcomed at ZECT, if he ever got over his predilection of being a "lone warrior type". Kagami'd never admit it aloud but…a part of him somewhat admired Tendou for his drive. It was rare these days for a person to have so much confidence that he never seemed to doubt any move he ever made. He sighed. If he worked hard…would he ever be like Yaguruma or Tendou?

"You're pretty noisy while washing apples."

Kagami jerked at the sudden vocal intrusion.

"Ah?"

"First you're laughing then you're heaving sighs. Are you bipolar perhaps?"

"Of course not! I was just…reminiscing."

"..About apples? You really _are_ serious about pie baking."

Kagami gave him an odd look, but was surprised to find that Tendou seemed completely serious. Is that how focused the man was at cooking? Well, he was a really good cook., maybe it really was how that type of person thought. Embarrassed at not really able to come up with a comeback to that, Kagami turned back to washing the apples. Only to huff, annoyed, when he heard what sounded like a breathy chuckle coming from the other man. He _had_ been teasing him!

"Oi! Don't make fun of me in my own kitchen!"

Tendou graced him with one of his half-lidded smiles that suddenly reminded Kagami of the cat Mr. Boots. It was totally not innocent at all! Turning the tap off, he raised one of the knives he was going to cut the apples with and pointed it in Tendou's direction putting on what he called his "I'm a scary person, take me seriously" face. Sure, it'd have had more of an affect if the radio wasn't playing the newest hyper girl pop song, but _still_.

"Now, look here. This recipe is _sacred_. It's the best pie _ever_. Don't bring your…your cheekiness into my kitchen when I'm teaching you to making it!"

Tendou regarded him for about two or three seconds.

"Don't point knives at people." Tendou pushed the blade aside with one finger in a smooth motion before reaching to grab his own knife. He'd insisted on going through every step alongside Kagami. There was a brief silence as both men started to working on their separate stacks of apples. Kagami actually prided himself on being pretty trained when it came to peeling apples and he felt considerably cheered to find, when he glanced over at Tendou, that they were peeling at the same pace. He'd probably lose some ground when the actual slicing and dicing happened (the things Tendou could do to a fish in 15 seconds) but it was kind of ego-boosting to be equals with him here.


	6. Chapter 6

In a better mood, Kagami started humming along with the upbeat song on the radio.

"I like this song. It reminds me of the opening of that one anime. With the giant robots fighting for each country? The Gundam one?"

Tendou looked at him blankly.

Well, there were a lot of different series…Kagami tried one of the poses he remembered from it.

"You know…uh…'This hand of mine…is BURNING RED'!!! That one.'"

Tendou raised an eyebrow but didn't stop peeling, like he surmised Kagami had gone crazy but wasn't sure if he should be concerned or amused. Kagami bravely forged on with the conversation, however.

"Ah…you didn't like giant robot anime? What kinds did you watch when you were a kid then?"

"I didn't really watch television" Tendou went back to his apples.

"..Oh" Well…Tendou did seemed to be from one of those well-to-do families. Feeling a bit awkward, Kagami started peeling his own apples. Sorting through safe topics that everyone should have something to say about, he was surprised when Tendou was the one who broke the silence.

"So…just why is the recipe so special?" his voice took an amused tone, "Did you train with Tibetan monks for two years to perfect it?" Kagami appreciated the attempt at humor to lighten the mood, though it surprised him Tendou even bothered with it. Perhaps the man was genuinely curious.

"No…it was my Mother's."

"Ah. She must be an amazing cook," Tendou responded coolly.

"…She was."

He hadn't meant to respond so…somberly but it still seemed to cause Tendou to lapse into silence. Ah…safe topic, safe topic…

"Well…ah….I bet _your_ mother is exceptional! I mean…uh I bet you have a lot of her recipes…"

"…My parents died when I was young."

Kagami's head whipped up. Mortified and apologetic he'd accidentally brought up such a thing, but Tendou was continuing to deal with his apples as if Kagami hadn't said anything at all.. So…he and Tendou had some things in common after all. But now the man sitting across from him looked absorbed in his own thoughts. Not pleasant things. How could he recover the slightly friendly atmosphere? Positive, positive…uh…Ah!

"I bet your younger sister was really cute when she was little!" Kagami smiled. It was easy to see Tendou doted on her.

Tendou's reaction caught Kagami by surprise.

He had stopped peeling the apple altogether and had looked up sharply at him. Kagami's smile faded at the expression. It looked...suspicious…no…more like…guarded. And a little frightening in its seriousness.

Did he say something wrong?

"Ah…was….Jyuka a handful back then?" Kagami ventured.

"…Jyuka…" Tendou blinked…and then the expression was gone like it had never been there before. He even returned to peeling and chopping as he hadn't just seriously put Kagami on edge for a moment there.

"…No more a handful than any other precocious little girl. And she is _still_ cute."

Kagami stared at the bowed head for a while. What had _that_ been about?

"…Tendou?"

"What do we do next? How small do we cut them?"

"Eh?" Kagami looked down, completely forgetting his train of thought. AH! He still had several apples to finish peeling for _his_ pie! Working quickly, he told Tendou that he should core the apples before chopping them into bite sized pieces. Tendou smiled a bit, doing it perfectly enough for Kagami to mentally whap himself on the forehead. How could he forget he was talking to a man "better than a professional chef"?

"And then, we sprinkle a little lemon juice on them."

"…To prevent brown spots. Yes." Tendou agreed, getting up to fetch the small bottle from the counter. He then walked over to Kagami's oven and asked what temperature he wanted it to be.

"Ah, about 275 degrees-Ow!" Kagami winced. He'd been in such a hurry to catch up with Tendou that he'd accidentally peeled his thumb! Sucking on the wounded digit he started to wonder why he'd been so gung ho to keep pace with the man…Maybe he _was_ an idiot after all.

"What is it?"

"It's nothing, I cut myself with the knife"

"Ooh. What a clumsy fellow. I thought you were the apple pro."

Kagami grumbled at him even as Tendou saddled up to his side.

"Show me."

A bit wary for some reason, Kagami tentatively gave Tendou his hand. For a brief moment, as Tendou brought the injured finger closer to his face, Kagami thought the man was going to put it on his mouth. Kagami wondered if anyone actually ever did the latter outside of manga or anime. But, if Tendou did that…Kagami felt his face heat at the thought. As if the evening hadn't become weird enough. The only interest the Man Who Walked the Path of Heaven had for him was that he happened to make a decent dessert.

Kagami was surprised he felt a bit depressed at that thought.

In the meantime, Tendou had managed to produce a small first aid kit from somewhere on his person, cleaned the cut, and had applied a band-aid to it.

Kagami gave him a weird look.

"Neon patterned band-aids are trendy this season in school," quoted Tendou. It took Kagami a moment to get it.

"Ah! Jyuka-chan got you to buy them?" Kagami grinned, amused at the mental image of the smaller girl dragging her brother along the store aisles.

"Band-aids are band-aids, no matter the design and color."

"But that's nice. That you get along with Jyuka-chan so well." Kagami finally finished his pile of apples and pushed himself up.

Tendou made a noncommittal noise as he finished coring his apples before reaching over to do the same to Kagami's pile. Kagami almost protested, but if Tendou wanted to work together now…or maybe the guy just thought Kagami was annoyingly slow.

Well! Then Kagami would get the spices for the filling from the cabinet. Reaching into the cabinet he pulled out the cinnamon and other spices he'd gotten for free when he'd bought the a "Super Bargain Kitchen Pack" from the neighborhood shopping arcade. Nothing too complicated. He also set out two bowls for mixing and the tins they'd cook the pies in. Then, he walked over to fetch sugar and flour for the crust. Pausing for a moment, he went back to the table; Tendou wanted to see every step, right? The man had treated him to quite a few tasty meals since he'd met him. The least way he could repay him was to show him Mom's special trick. She'd always did admire gourmet cooks, always trying different dishes out. It was one of the reasons Dad had married her, she'd joked.


	7. Chapter 7

"Okay, now to add the seasoning." Kagami set down the little set of spices on the table. Tendou picked up the powdered ginger and raised an eyebrow but said nothing. Well, he only got them three months ago, they should still be good. Right?

"How much of each do you add?" Tendou wasn't saying anything about not using fresh ginger. Besides, it wasn't like Kagami could go zip off to the convenience store to pick some up at this hour.

"Well, actually it depends on what the apples I use…it's all 'to taste', you know?"

Well, now that he thought of it, he probably didn't really have to explain that sort of thing to Tendou. He probably even figured out just which spices had been used in the pie. Kagami picked up one of the freshly sliced apples and bit it. Mmm. The orchard owners really knew what they were doing. He wasn't a poetic type, but he could just taste the sun-kissed goodness of the fruit. He grinned broadly at Tendou's wondering look.

"See, my mom's favorite apples used to be the green tart ones that grew from the tree in our backyard. I always liked the sweeter kinds, though." Kagami chomped on the rest of the slice. It was lightly sweet with a bit of sour.

Tendou was watching him so seriously that Kagami was starting to feel a bit embarrassed again. Hoping he wasn't blushing, Kagami explained the different ratios you could use to get the same affect and what would happen if you used too much of one thing.

"So, if you make it for someone, you can mix it to their personal tastes."

"Is that what you do?"

"Ha?"

"Do you always make it to someone else's tastes?

"Well…of course. I mean, usually I make it by request only."

"Oh? And how do you prefer it?"

"I haven't made one I didn't like."

"Ah."

They were silent for a few minutes as they mixed the ingredients together in two separate bowls. Suddenly Kagami chuckled, remembering something. Tendou looked up at him curiously.

"I remember this one time when I was little… I'd exchange the apple slices for some of my little toys. Mom was pretty surprised when she realized she had a pie full of Doraemon figurines. It's a good thing she found out before she baked it."

"It certainly would have made a colorful pie," Tendou snorted.

"Well, it was kind of hard _not_ to see since I had also started swiping parts of the crust…It was Swiss cheese by the time I was done."

Tendou seemed amused at this and said he wasn't surprised about learning a fact like that. Spluttering a bit at the vague ribbing, Kagami demanded to know one of Tendou's childhood eccentricities.

"Haa…I don't recall anything really. I was a pretty serious child back then…"

"O-oh. Right. Sorry." Kagami went back to stirring his mixture.

"…Ah, there was one thing…"

Kagami glanced up. Tendou was looking off somewhere, eyes half lidded and a slight smile on his face.

"My father…his hobby was photography. He used to take pictures of us in various places. Mother enjoyed it too."

"Oh? Well that sounds-"

"They liked dressing me up."

Kagami paused.

"You mean, like…little tuxedos and such."

"In costume."

"…Ah. I…I see…" And Kagami had to duck his head when his mind was suddenly mentally barraged by various costume possibilities for what a photo-loving parent would dress their child in. Oh, the penguin was cute, but how could he ever move around in the pumpkin one? His shoulders started to shake at the repressed laughter.

"…Is it really that amusing?" Tendou asked dryly, sparing a look up from his work.

Kagami grinned at him. "N-not really, no." Well, maybe a little.

"It's just…you're so…well _you_, you know? I mean, you're always walking around perfectly…like you're some legendary figure from all those folktales…I wouldn't be surprised if you told me popped out of some giant peach full grown or something…"

Tendou gave him an odd look. Kagami was collecting a lot of those tonight. Well, served the guy right getting him involved with sugar at such a late hour. At least he had a day off of both his jobs tomorrow.

"Ooh, and then collect a small bevy of animals to battle the Worms?" Tendou quipped.

Okay, that was too much. Picturing a mini Tendou dolled up as Momotaro, battling various Worm with a dog, pheasant and monkey was…..Kagami bent his face towards the table surface, melting into guffaws.

"Haa…now I'm wondering just what you put in your spice to make you silly like this"

"I-I'm sorry…heheh…it's just…haha…it's just if anyone could do it that way…it'd be Tendou Souji."

"Well…I'm not sure if that's a compliment or an insult?"

Kagami wiped a tear from his cheek, settling down. "Do you really care about such things like that?"

"Not really." Tendou smirked at him. "What next?"

"My favorite part: the crust."


	8. Chapter 8

"What…are you _doing_ exactly?" Tendou asked this in what Kagami interpreted as being in awe. Or doubt.

"_This_ is my Mom's secret ingredient to make the crust flakey," he replied, sprinkling a couple tablespoons of vinegar into the dough.

"I see. I don't think even I could have figured that one out," Tendou muttered, mirroring Kagami's actions on his side of the tabletop. But, even if he couldn't have debunked the mysteries of the crust, Tendou was still a more practiced chef than Kagami; not needing any instruction on flouring the surface of the table and flattening it with a rolling pin in a smooth, practiced motion.

Kagami watched this a bit enviously. Compared to Tendou's movement, Kagami seemed like the student here. But then, the man was one of those naturally graceful people. As his mother had once told him, there was no point in being envious of such things. Better to turn your energy towards strengthening your own personality she said, because negative thinking could only lead to negative situations.

She'd wanted her sons to grow up to be good and strong. Kagami wondered sometimes how his mother would have felt about how he turned out. He immediately thought of her last hour in the hospital, holding her hand as she tried to pass down to him all the wisdom she'd attained in her too short life in her last precious moments. He especially recalled the very last talk he'd had with her; it had been just the two of them: Ryou succumbing to three days lack of sleep and their father having to return to the city because he'd been away from his job for too long.

"Arata…Take…care of Ryou, won't you?"

"Of course." He remembered looking at her hand, unable to reach her gaze, unable to let her see the tears streaming down his face.

"And…your father…"

"He should be here!" Even if Kagami had accepted his father's reason that he had to worry about supporting his sons now…paying the hospital bills…it wasn't right that she didn't have him by her side!

"It's…all right." Her hand had slipped from his to caress his cheek, guiding him to look at her, smiling tiredly.

"When you love someone…you're…never really separated from them…as long as you remember your…precious person…they will always have a treasured place…" her hand slid to a point on his chest.

"…In your heart, Arata"

"Mother…" And then he had finally been overcome with his grief, sobbing, his head pressed against her side saying he was sorry over and over and over. Sorry she'd had to suffer, sorry that he couldn't drag his father to be by his side, sorry he couldn't save her; numerous things he couldn't control. She'd just quietly murmured to him, stroking his hair; still the pillar of gentle strength until the very end. She'd been fighting the illness for so long and had never complained on the unfairness of it all even once.

"There…are things that can't change, Arata…but…don't…don't ever…give up…until you've…fought…as hard as you can…ne?" Her voice had started growing weaker then, her breathing shallower. He'd asked the nurse to wake Ryou up and bring him.

"I won't. I promise" he'd said, clasping her hand once again.

He had refused to let his crying face be the last thing she saw. He hadn't looked away from her face even as the door to the room had clicked open and he'd heard the shuffling footsteps of his brother. Kagami didn't have to look to know his brother was pale and drawn; he'd seen it for the past few days. Silently, Ryou had walked over to grip their mother's other hand.

"I…had a happy life…with the three of you." She'd said softly, looking upward, eyes growing dimmer with every passing moment. She'd then gripped their hands with the last bit of strength she had.

"I'm going on ahead…Riku…please…live…happily…my darling children…"

And then her eyes had slid shut and her life had slipped away from them.

"…Kagami"

Pulled back to the present, Kagami looked up to see the rolling pin being offered to him.

"I'm done with it."

"A-ah, thanks" Taking it, he ducked his head surreptitiously dragging his sleeve across his eyes.

"Is something wrong?"

"It's nothing…I got some flour in my eyes"

"Ah." Kagami didn't ponder if Tendou believed him or not and quickly rolled out his own pie crust. Then he stood up to rinse it off at the sink.

Ahh…why was he remembering such sad things tonight? It wasn't healthy to grieve forever, right? Mother wouldn't have been happy about it. But...

…he hadn't been able to carry out her last wishes. The family had drifted apart and, just when Kagami had pulled them together again…Ryou had…

And father…! He relaxed the grip on the rolling pin when he realized his hand was shaking. He pinched the bridge of his nose, rubbing the skin there.

"Tired?"

Kagami slumped over the sink a bit, anger flowing out of him like the water down the drain. How _did_ Tendou manage to do that? Must be a part of that natural grace thing. His mom was kind of like that, too. Ah, that's why. Wait…that was kind of disturbing thought, right? He rubbed his eyes. It was too late at night to be thinking weird thoughts!

"I am a little tired. It's...been a long day."

"…I apologize for the late hour…I wanted it ready for Jyuka's breakfast tomorrow."

"It's fine." Kagami collecting the two pie tins he'd set aside on the counter earlier. Rubbing in some butter onto the surface of the tins with a paper towel, he walked back to the table.

"I was feeling pretty stressed out anyway. This is kind of relaxing."

Handing one of the tins to Tendou, Kagami tilted his over the rolled out dough and used it as a template to cut a circle slightly bigger then the pie tin itself. Pulling the excess away from the dough, he folded the circle gently twice. Transporting it to the pan, he unfolded the dough carefully; it was now perfectly centered. Glancing over to see if Tendou was done with his, he grabbed his apple-filled bowl and started scooping the mixture into the crust.

Now…what design to make with the crust on this pie? This was the most enjoyable part of the baking process. For Yumi-san he'd just cut out leaf shapes, but since he was at home…He grinned. He looked over at Tendou, who was absorbed in be cutting some shapes out of his leftover dough.

Kagami grinned to himself. He had an idea.


	9. Chapter 9

Pies tucked into the oven, Tendou snorting predictably at Kagami's design scheme on the crust, the two men set to cleaning up the kitchen. Standing next to Tendou, Kagami wondered why he didn't feel more self conscious that the guy was helping him clean his dirty dishes. (Tendou washed, Kagami dried)

Well, he'd answered himself with a mental shrug, it's not like he asked Tendou to do anything; the man had just started doing what he wanted to. Like always.

And then they had both sat back down at the table, Tendou…being Tendou and Kagami struggling to find some sort of topic. He never did like long lengths of silence; when he was a child his household had been happy and noisy. He wondered what Tendou's childhood had been like to have produced such a person. Sometimes, Kagami didn't know whether to admire him or be frustrated with him; usually it was both at the same time. He certainly wasn't like Yaguruma-san who also seemed confident and perfect. But…maybe that wasn't a bad thing?

"So…."

Tendou cracked an eye open to look at him. What was he doing? Meditating? Well…it _was_ pretty late so maybe he was resting his eyes.

"Just what were you and Yaguruma-san doing that one time? With the tofu?"

Yumi-san had told him the details, of course. After hinting that if she managed to hire one of them, then maybe she could let go some of the more usually-late-to-work employees. (He'd ignored Hiyori slight smile at his reaction) But, that didn't exactly enlighten him on what fueled Tendou's actions.

"It was a challenge for the silky tofu we both wanted. I lost that time." Tendou seemed to have gotten over it. He'd been unhappy enough when Yaguruma had offered to split the prize with him.

"Say…why didn't you take half of the tofu? Yaguruma-san was being pretty generous."

Tendou sighed then, shifting in his chair.

"Obaachan said…that one who goes after two birds…will _get_ two birds."

Kagami had heard him say the same thing to Yaguruma when he'd offered him the tofu. Was that the big difference between them? It was Kagami's turn to sigh, moving forward to rest on the table, head pillowed on crossed arms. He suddenly felt pretty tired.

"Is that how it always is with you?" he asked, a touch sulkily, "'All or nothing'?"

He wanted to wipe the smirk from Tendou's face with one of the used-to-be-white dish towels in the sink.

"Isn't that kind of…greedy?" Well, maybe not that exactly but it didn't seem right to Kagami to think like that. Maybe he just didn't get it.

"Obaachan said that it's fun to-"

"'Make the world revolve around you' I know, I know" Kagami yawned. If Tendou had been startled or annoyed at him for finishing Obaachan's phrase he didn't act like it, just coolly watched as Kagami arched his back and stretched his arms, yawning. Kagami didn't mind the small lapse of silence as he scratched the back of his head, feeling very relaxed in his warm kitchen next to a man that confused him everyday but at least made things interesting in a sometimes good way. Then, belatedly remembering proper manners, he stood up to at least offer his "guest" some tea, putting a kettle on the stovetop. Tendou nodded, arms crossed and sitting so straight in his chair that it was odd he could look so relaxed. As Kagami put a couple of spoonfuls of the "good" tea in the serving pot Tendou spoke up again, a question in his voice.

"You seem pretty attached to him."

Kagami glanced back at him, confused. Tendou was regarding him with such a specifically nonchalant expression it took his sleepy mind a while to get back on the track of their conversation. It took him until he was walking back to the table to figure out who he was referring to.

"Oh, Yaguruma-san? What do you mean?"

"You're his subordinate now, aren't you?"

"Ah?! How did you know that?"

Kagami received a look he interpreted as "Because I'm Souji Tendou, I know everything." He crossed his arms and leaned back into his chair, unconsciously mirroring Tendou's pose but still noting how differently they looked "relaxed."

"Well," Kagami started thoughtfully, finding the tabletop very interesting all a sudden, "It's just temporary. I think he can teach me a lot of things."

"Oh? Like his Kanzen Chowa philosophy?"

"Like how to be stronger! And there's nothing wrong with being a team player." Kagami looked at him meaningfully.

"More like a hive than a team" retorted Tendou, unbothered by Kagami's unspoken criticism of his preference to fight alone.

He couldn't really argue with that, not after witnessing the efficiency of Shadow; the unquestioning way ZECT soldiers followed orders. Kagami shifted forward to rest his arms on the table again. Looking down at his folded hands he responded quietly, "Well, if it defeats the WORM, does it really matter how it's done?"

There was a pause before Tendou responded, equally soft. "Is that something you _fully_ believe, Kagami?"

Kagami sighed heavily, leaning back and rubbing his eyes tiredly. "…Not really, I guess." And then the tea kettle shrilly announced that the water was boiling. Turning away from Tendou, he set to pouring the steaming water into the teapot. Watching the tea leaves swirl around he tired to cheer up by enjoying the smell of the cooking pies.

He got like this sometimes; seeing too many losses and not enough wins. They had lost a dozen people during the last Worm Battle. There probably wouldn't have been _any_ casualties, however, if Kabuto had been there. Had been working with ZECT instead of showing up whenever he happened to be nearby.

Kagami clamped down on that thought. If Tendou didn't want to work for ZECT, then it wasn't his right to force him. But, he could only see benefits for everyone if Tendou was officially working for them. They would have the full cooperation of Kabuto and Tendou would have access to all the resources ZECT could offer. Kagami absent-mindedly wiped the counter, not wanting Tendou to see his current expression. He'd never been the type to easily hide his feelings. He was a horrible liar. But it was already an old thing between them; Tendou wouldn't join until he wanted to join. Kagami was just a bit frustrated the guy never supplied a perfectly good _reason_ for this. But then, they really didn't know each other, did they? If he had a personal reason, why would he care to share it with a person he'd only met a while ago?

But it wasn't like he was being nosy…Kagami was honestly a bit worried. How long would they allow Kabuto Zector to be in the hands of a rogue Rider? He'd learned early on that one thing ZECT didn't accept were people who didn't follow orders. Yaguruma-san had said as much to him when they met for the second time. Everyone should work together, not take it upon themselves to fight on their own. The fact that Tendou not only went his own way but constantly claimed he didn't need any help at all was…even exasperating to _Yaguruma_-san, one of the calmest men he'd ever met.

Suddenly realizing he'd been pondering long enough while just standing there holding the tea cups, Kagami set the teacup carefully on the table in front of Tendou. Walking back to his seat he continued his line of thought.

Come to think of it, Yaguruma-san and Tendou were really two sides of the same coin. Kagami studied the steam wafting from his cup and Tendou's. Both men were strong and confident in their individual philosophies. Both possessed a lot of different skills. And both were chosen to become Riders. The main difference between was how they interacted with other people. Yaguruma was all about "Perfect Harmony" extending patience and friendship to his teammates. And Tendou…well, Kagami wasn't sure what social prerogatives Tendou had for himself but they were probably just as commendable. Kagami finally looked up to the person across from him, only to find he was being watched with half-lidded eyes. If they weren't friends…what _were_ they? He'd probably regret it afterwards, but…since they had a nice companionable silence going maybe if he asked him upfront-

He was broken out of his thoughts by the ding of the oven. Scooting his chair back he walked over. He heard Tendou stand up a moment afterward.


	10. Chapter 10

Kagami grabbed his checkered potholders (also came with the set) as he bent to open the oven. The pies' crusts were a beautiful golden brown. Just like mom used to make. His mouth was watering even though he'd eaten the rest of the earlier pie only…he glanced at the clock.

Twelve hours ago. It was a good thing he had tomorrow off.

Tendou was hovering nearby so he tossed the oven mitts to him after he'd safely set his own creation onto the stovetop. He took a moment to enjoy the little artwork he'd done.

He'd used the extra dough to make a rough image of a Kabuto beetle. He realized it was probably unbelievably goofy, but it was four am in the morning. He was allowed to be a bit silly if he wanted to. It was probably an unspoken rule, he was sure. Tendou pulled his own pie out; he'd decorated his crust too, though Kagami mentally admitted apple blossoms were a classier subject to use as a decoration. Just how did Tendou manage to make the flowers look so delicate without them getting too brown on the edges?

"Haa. That's pretty cool-looking. Jyuka-chan will love it."

Tendou smiled slightly, gracefully accepting the compliments like he was used to them. And probably was. He set his pie next to Kagami's to cool a bit before walking back to the table. Kagami joined him after turning the oven off. Settling down in his chair he watched Tendou pick up his cup and pause to sniff it. His smile broadened when he heard the other man make a soft surprised sound.

"My landlady gave me some last week. Her nephew works on a high-grade tea leave grove and likes to send her some"

"It's very fine tea." Tendou took a sip…then put the cup down quietly. "You shouldn't pour boiling water on it, though."

Surprised, Kagami's head slipped off the hand he'd propped it against.

"Tendou, you're _supposed_ to make tea with hot water."

"Different teas have different temperatures that they steep best in."

"Oh? Really?" Kagami gambled that if he listened politely, maybe the lecture wouldn't last too long. Tendou crossed his arms and continue his explanation of different types of tea and why it was important to observe basic tea making procedures. Kagami leaned back in his chair, nodding but fully realizing he'd probably not remember a single word the next day.

"…What you've received is what's called a "white tea", which is made from the tenderest top leaves and buds. It is a delicate tea and should be made with water about that is a bit cooler than boiling." Tendou took another sip of tea. "And silver needle tea only needs to be steeped for 30-40 seconds."

"I see." Well the man was more talkative now. And Kagami was kind of interested in the subject, having had to politely listen to his landlady's proud description of every tea she ever shared with him. Kagami took a sip of his own tea.

Well, it didn't taste as "clean as the forest in the last day of winter when the snow has melted" but it was pretty nice. Even a guy like Kagami could appreciate it anyway; even if he'd carelessly used water that was too hot.

"And keep it in an airtight, dark place. Not in a plastic bag near the sink." Tendou scolded.

"Right." Kagami laughed sheepishly. Mrs. Sekihara had already told him that and had even given him a little tin for it the very first time she'd given him tea but…he'd been busy with work to look for it. Not that a guy like Tendou'd accept an explanation like that. With his actually being out there on the battlefield and living in an impeccably taken care of house. And that was on top of tending to his little sister's needs. Haaa. He was comparing himself to Tendou again. And getting depressed. Again. He slumped onto the table, pillowed by his crossed arms. It took him a moment to realize the man across from him had also gone quiet. But at least it wasn't an uncomfortable silence. The whispers of light streaming from the window showed it was almost morning, though. Kagami yawned as the minutes stretched on.

"I think its' cool enough to transport now." Tendou stood and touched the pie tin carefully.

"A-ah." Kagami stumbled up, still attempting to be a decent host. "You can use the box Yumi-san gave me to carry it"

Tendou nodded his thanks, accepting the box Kagami handed him. "I will return the pie tin to you after it is cleaned."

"Oh, uh...thanks." Kagami rubbed the back of his head awkwardly. How did one say "goodbye" after a night of baking and semi-conversation with an enigmatic almost-stranger he'd met a month or so ago? 'See you later whenever you feel like messing with me or my life is in Worm-related peril?'

"I'm going. Goodbye." Luckily Tendou was the type to come to such decisions quickly and efficiently.

"Oh. Yeah. Goodnight" Kagami followed him as he walked to the front door, "Uh. Take care."

"I'm going on ahead" Tendou returned politely, walking out into the twilight. Kagami found himself watching him until he turned around a corner. Shaking himself out of his daze, he shut the door.

"Well, that was an interesting Friday night..." he glanced at the clock on the wall. "Well, Saturday morning." He started trudging to his bedroom, fully realizing his exhaustion. Halfway there, he stumbled back into the kitchen to at least cover his own pie. Rolling his shoulders, he finally wandered back to get some shuteye. Sitting down on his futon, he wondered sleepily what that had actually been about.

He stretched then lifted his legs to slide himself in between the sheets and blanket. He found himself staring at the ceiling, however. His mind demanding an answer to the Important question it had created. He thought back on their conversation. Perhaps he'd wanted to learn more about Yaguruma-san's character? Well, that made sense. The two were rivals after all, he supposed. Thought Kagami didn't think the word perfectly described that relationship. Yawning he nestled further into the sheets, his mind now letting his body rest after finding a reasonable explanation for the weirdness of it all.

Because just coming in the middle of the night to make a pie was crazy. Right? Who'd be that gung ho about learning a tasty recipe?

Kagami laughed to himself as he slipped into sweet unconsciousness. Right. No one was that serious about cooking.


End file.
